Corner Kick Game

ABSTRACT

A game comprising a disk and a board, where the board is elongate such that the board has a long axis and where the board comprises at least one goal, where the goal is oriented parallel to the long axis of the board along a side of the board. The game is played by placing the disk on its edge at a first end of the board; rolling the disk forward while simultaneously spinning the disk backward; and allowing the disk to arch sideways through the goal at the second end of the board. The game replicates the excitement of the corner kick in soccer in a tabletop game, suitable for use at home or in a bar or pub. The game may be decorated with a soccer, basketball, or hockey theme.

CROSS REFERENCE

This application is a divisional application based on and claimingpriority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/191,830 filed Jun. 24,2016.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to game and more particularly, but notby way of limitation, to a game and game board requiring the player tospin a disk into a goal angled 90° from a starting position.

Description of the Related Art

The world's most popular sport is the sport generally known as soccer orfootball. The name soccer is used herein for consistency. Other popularsports include basketball and hockey, and all three of these sportsshare a common objective: getting an object, whether a ball or a puck,into the opponent's goal or net. All of these sports are generallyplayed with teams and require a large space, specific equipment, andparticular physical abilities.

Tabletop games are likewise popular, and are generally played, as thename suggests, on top of a table. Such games often rely more heavily onstrategy or luck rather than physical acts. While certain tabletop gamesmay replicate the rules, terminology, and strategies of sports, theytypically utilize representational components, such as rolling a die ordrawing a card, in place of physical acts, such as kicking or throwing aball or hitting a puck.

A particular subset of tabletop games endeavors to integrate thephysicality of sports into tabletop game play. One example is foosball,in which players simulate soccer by manipulating figures anchored abovea small-scale field to kick a ball into an opposing goal. While this isa fair small-scale representation of soccer, it does not allow forseveral aspects of the sport, one of which is the corner kick.

In soccer, a corner kick is a way of restarting play when the ball hasbeen kicked past the goal line by a defending player. An attackingplayer stands in a designated area in a corner of the field adjacent thegoal line and kicks the ball back into play. A direct goal from thisposition is extremely difficult, as the ball must be given sufficientswerve to arc 90° to reach the goal. Such a goal is possible due to theMagnus effect, whereby a spinning ball or cylinder curves away from itsprincipal flight path. Similarly achieved goals, while not called cornerkicks, are possible in basketball and hockey.

Based on the foregoing, it is desirable to provide a tabletop game thatallows a player to replicate a corner kick on a small scale.

It is further desirable for the physical act of scoring to be simple,yet sufficiently difficult to provide true athletic competition.

It is further desirable for such a game to be suitable for home use orfor use in bars or pubs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general, in a first aspect, the invention relates to a gamecomprising a disk and a board, where the board is elongate such that theboard has a long axis and where the board comprises at least one goal,where the goal is oriented parallel to the long axis of the board alonga side of the board.

The board may comprise: a first end; a second end, where the second endopposes the first end; a first side extending between the first end andthe second end; and a second side extending between the first end andthe second end, where the second side opposes the first side and wherethe at least one goal comprises a first goal located along the firstside closer to the first end than to the second end and a second goallocated along the second side closer to the second end than to the firstend. The sides may be the same length, the ends may be the same length,and the sides may be longer than the ends. The board may furthercomprise a first wall extending upward from the first side from thefirst goal to the second end and a second wall extending upward from thesecond side from the second goal to the first end. The ends may be opensuch that the disk is capable of sliding off the board at either thefirst end or the second end.

The board may have a generally flat top, where the top is textured. Theat least one goal may comprise an arch, such that the disk is capable ofsliding off the board through the arch. The at least one goal mayadditionally or alternately comprise a net. The goal may be shaped likea soccer goal, a basketball net, or a hockey goal. The goal may have anopening and the size of the opening may be adjustable. The disk may havea diameter of approximately 2¾ inches and a height of approximately 1inch. The board may have a length of approximately 50 inches and a widthof approximately 12 inches and the goal may have a width ofapproximately 5 inches. The board may comprise at least two sections,where the sections are capable of being assembled for use ordisassembled for storage.

In a second aspect, the invention relates to a method of playing thegame, the method comprising: placing a disk with an edge on its edge ata first end of the board; rolling the disk forward while simultaneouslyspinning the disk backward; and allowing the disk to arch sidewaysthrough the goal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game in use; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the game disassembled.

Other advantages and features will be apparent from the followingdescription and from the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The devices and methods discussed herein are merely illustrative ofspecific manners in which to make and use this invention and are not tobe interpreted as limiting in scope.

While the devices and methods have been described with a certain degreeof particularity, it is to be noted that many modifications may be madein the details of the construction and the arrangement of the devicesand components without departing from the spirit and scope of thisdisclosure. It is understood that the devices and methods are notlimited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes ofexemplification.

In general, in a first aspect, the invention relates to a game requiringa player to spin a disk into a goal angled 90° from a starting position.Components of the game may include a board 1 and a disk 2. The board 1may be elongate and may be rectangular, as shown in the drawings, or anyother desired shape. The board 1 may have two ends 3 and two sides 4.The sides 4 may be longer than the ends 3, as shown. A goal 5 may belocated on each of the sides 4, with one goal 5 adjacent each of theends 3.

Each goal 5 may be oriented parallel to the long axis of the board 1,such that an object traveling along the long axis of the board 1 mustdeviate from a straight path of travel to enter the goal 5. The board 1may be significantly longer than each of the goals 5. For example, theboard 1 may be approximately 50 inches long and approximately 12 incheswide, and the goals may each be approximately 5 inches wide. Each of thegoals 5 may have the same width.

The board 1 may have a generally flat top 6 and a generally flat bottom7. Each side 4 may have an upwardly-extending wall 8 extending from itsgoal 5 to the opposing end 3. The walls 8 may not block the goals 5, butmay block the disk 2 from exiting from the top 6 of the board 1 alongthe sides 4 other than through the goals 5. The ends 3 may not have awall and may be open, such that the disk 2 may exit the board 1 bysliding off either end 3 or through either goal 5.

The goals 5 may be just open areas in the walls 8, or may be designatedwith posts on either side. The posts may be part of a single arch orother entryway-type architectural structure 9, as shown. The structure 9may be part of a larger assembly, which may include a net 10 and/orother structures, as shown. The goal 5 may be shaped similar to a soccergoal, a hockey goal, basketball net, or other recognizable goal/net, ormay have any other desired appearance. The size of the opening of thegoal 5 may be adjustable, allowing for customized difficulty of thegame.

The disk 2 may be cylindrical and short, similar to a puck. For example,the disk 2 may have a diameter of approximately 2¾ to 3 inches and aheight of approximately 1 inch. The disk 2 may be made of plastic,rubber, wood, metal, or any other desired material. The disk 2 may behollow. Alternately, the disk 2 may be solid or may be hollow but filledwith ballast or other material.

The board 1 may likewise be made of any desired material, includingplastic, wood, or metal. The top 6 may be made of or coated with alow-friction material. Alternately, the top 6 may be textured or coatedin a textured or other high-friction material.

The board 1 and disk 2 may either or both be decorated according to adesired theme. For example, the game may have a soccer theme, wherebythe disk 2 is decorated like a soccer ball, the goals 5 are designed tolook like soccer goals, and the board 1 is decorated to look like asoccer field. Similarly, for a basketball theme, the disk 2 may bedecorated like a basketball, the goals 5 may be designed to look likebasketball nets, and the board 1 is decorated to look like a basketballcourt. Likewise, for a hockey theme, the disk 2 may be decorated to looklike a hockey puck, the goals 5 may be designed to look like hockeygoals, and the board 1 may be decorated to look like a hockey rink.

The board 1 may have markings at the goal 5 to indicate the number ofpoints awarded to a player for causing the disk 2 to exit the board 1 atthe markings. For example, the markings may designate a smaller portionof the opening of the goal through which the player may receive extrapoints. The markings may correspond to the theme of the game. Forexample, when the board has a basketball theme, the markings mayindicate a three-point line.

The game may be suitable for at-home use or for use in a bar or pub. Thegame may be capable of being disassembled for storage. For example, theboard 1 may be formed from two or more parts, which may be assembled foruse and disassembled for storage. The parts may be separable or may bejoined by a hinge, allowing the board 1 to be folded when not in use.The game may also be offered in version that is not capable ofdisassembly for semi-permanent use in locations such as a bar, pub, orgame room. Such a version may be larger and may have legs, making it aself-supporting game table.

To play, a player may place the disk 2 on its edge at one end 3 of theboard 1, with the goal of making the disk 2 go through the goal 5adjacent the opposing end 3 of the board 1. The player may roll the disk2 on its edge, simultaneously spinning the disk 2 backwards whilepushing it forwards, such that it travels forward with a backspin. Ifdone correctly, the backspin may cause the disk 2 to deviate in thedirection of the goal 5 and to exit the board through the goal 5,scoring a point for the player. The player's opponent may then take aturn from the opposing end 3 of the board 1. The players may take turnsuntil a designated number of rounds has been completed or a designatednumber of points has been scored or for a designated amount of time.When the game is over, the player with the highest number of points maywin.

Whereas, the devices and methods have been described in relation to thedrawings and claims, it should be understood that other and furthermodifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be madewithin the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of playing a game, the methodcomprising: placing a disk with an edge on its edge at a first end of aboard, where the board is elongate such that the board has a long axis;rolling the disk forward while simultaneously spinning the diskbackward; and allowing the disk to arch sideways through a goal, wherethe goal is oriented parallel to the long axis of the board along a sideof the board and is located closer to an opposed end of the board thanthe first end.
 2. The method of claim 1 where the board comprises: thefirst end; the opposed end; the side of the board, where the sideextends between the first end and the second end; a second side of theboard, where the second side extends between the first end and thesecond end and opposes the side; the goal; and a second goal, where thesecond goal is oriented parallel to the long axis of the board along thesecond side of the board and is located closer to the first end of theboard than the opposed end.
 3. The method of claim 2 where the boardfurther comprises: a first wall extending upward from the first sidefrom the first goal to the second end; and a second wall extendingupward from the second side from the second goal to the first end. 4.The method of claim 1 where the ends are open such that the disk iscapable of sliding off the board at either end.
 5. The method of claim 1where the goal comprises an arch, such that the disk arches sidewaysthrough the arch.
 6. The method of claim 1 where the goal comprises anet, such that the disk arches sideways through the goal and into thenet.
 7. The method of claim 1 where: the disk has a diameter ofapproximately 2¾ inches and a height of approximately 1 inch; the boardhas a length of approximately 50 inches and a width of approximately 12inches; and the goal has a width of approximately 5 inches.